Places to live while commuting to London

Cookiez

Hi everyone!

I'm looking to move out of London in a few months, but I'm not sure where to look at in terms of potential places to live.

I would like to move into a 2-bed house (detached, semi-detached, ...) with a garden in an nice area with low crime rates, green spaces around and good community sense, served with trains going to London.

Budget is 1750 GBP pcm and ideally it should be within 1h 15m from Liverpool Street, without having to rely on a car for transportation.

Does anyone know any areas fitting this criteria?

Thank you very much!

ka7e

My daughter spent 4 years living in Greenwich (which meets most of your criteria!) and explored the M20 corridor down to Maidstone. She ended up just outside West Malling. Lots of lovely countryside nearby and Leeds Castle for family days out. The local trains run into Victoria in under an hour, so with transfer to Liverpool St, it should come in under your preferred journey time.

letitbe90

https://where.rightmove.co.uk/

(Can be used for both buying and renting. You can also add multiple criteria with regards to time for commute)

lr1277

As well as the cost of housing you should indicate how much you are willing to spend on commuting and also the travel time you would like.
As an example, on returning on the train from Kings Cross to York, I heard two chaps talking. One commuted from Whitby and the other commuted from Harrogate. The living costs would be incredibly cheap but their travel costs would be expensive. However, they were at their desks by 9am. Btw this conversation was about 24/25 years ago. Same principles apply.

If you work in London, you need to work out how much in total you will pay for accommodation and travelling.

hazyjo

North Chingford or Highams Park (E4) are nice.

These are showing on RM:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-80558429.html

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-81549440.html

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-80864132.html

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-80347835.html

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-81584372.html

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-56060668.html

Or even Leigh-on-Sea where I am now:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-61662738.html

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-71741722.html

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-62092815.html

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-81300251.html

Bossypants

This may be further out than you had imagined, but I have just moved to Horsham and it takes me exactly an hour to get to Liverpool Street using the fast train to London Bridge (train is 50 minutes, then allow a few minutes to walk across to Monument tube station, and a few minutes to get the Circle line to Liverpool Street station). Tonnes of green around, low crime and lots of community spirit (I moved here specifically for the countryside and sense of community, and I have been extremely pleased with what I have found).

Your budget would get you quite a lot, too. This place is within 10 minutes walk of the station, in a really pleasant area (I know as I live close by), meets all your criteria plus an extra bedroom, and is £555 less than your budget. The train ticket will eat a bunch of that, of course (I pay £129 per week for Horsham to zones 1-6, although that does mean I am set for public transport, even in the weekends).

agrinnall

lr1277 wrote: »

One commuted from Whitby and the other commuted from Harrogate. The living costs would be incredibly cheap...

Cheap compared to London perhaps, but both are anong the most desireable, and hence costly, places in the north of England.

csgohan4

Greenwich, depends where though, some parts are bit rough, near woolwich, charlton etc

for that kind of money you could live somewhere nicer like Docklands, Canary wharf area

But if you want to save money, further out would be reasonable

kinger101

OP - rework your budget to include rent + rail travel.

I'd then focus solely on trains arriving directly at Liverpool street. There are so many, that it isn't necessary to go through the hassle (and additional expense) of jumping on the tube at rush-hour.

Next time you at Liverpool street, just grab as many timetables as you can for all the national rail services arriving there. Work at the commute times vs housing + rail costs, then do a recky one weekend at the shortlisted areas.

You might also want to consider likelihood you'll get a seat on the train. It will decline the further in you are.

Beenie

Chelmsford is 35 mins on the train to London Liverpool St. I think a season ticket is about £4000. Trains every 10 mins at peak times, and never more than 15 mins during the rest of the day.

Chelmsford is a good place to live. Low crime, all sorts of housing to rent (lots of terraces within walking distance of the station, all well within your budget), excellent shopping and entertainment facilities.

The East Anglian countryside is less than an hour away, or if you want a quick 'countryside and trees' fix, look no further than Danbury which is surrounded bt National Trust woodlands and also has lakes.

cjv

I am not sure of the travel suitability/costs as I do not commute by train, but Rochester in Kent where I am hoping to move to has some long term regeneration going on, residential and commercial and high speed trains to London.

Rent for a nice 2 bedroom house close to the Station should be well within your budget and there are plenty of current and future planned green spaces, lovely Castle and Cathedral too.